Apasaheb Balasaheb Pant | |
---|---|
High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom | |
In office 15 September 1969 –October 1972 | |
Preceded by | S. S. Dhawan |
Succeeded by | Braj Kumar Nehru |
Personal details | |
Born | 11 September 1912 Aundh State,British India (present-day Maharashtra,India) |
Died | 5 October 1992 Pune,Maharashtra,India |
Parent | |
Alma mater | University of Bombay University of Oxford |
Occupation | Diplomat, freedom fighter |
Awards | Padma Shri (1954) |
Appasaheb Pant (1912-1992), also known as Apa Pant, [1] Appa Pant, Appa Sahib Pant, Appsaheb Balasaheb Pant, Parashuram-rao Pant (Parashuram being his first name), was an Indian diplomat, Prince of Aundh, Gandhian, writer and freedom fighter. [2] [3] [4] A philosopher by nature and a mystic at heart, who served for over forty years as a career diplomat for the Indian Government. He served as the Indian Commissioner at various African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and the Belgian colony of the Congo and, later, as the Indian ambassador to countries like Indonesia, Norway, Egypt, United Kingdom and Italy.He also served as the Political Officer for India in the Kingdom of Sikkim . [3] The Government of India honoured him in 1954, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society, [5] placing him among the first recipients of the award.
Appa Sahib Bala Saheb Pant was born on 11 September 1912 [6] in the Aundh, Satara capital city of princely state of Aundh in the British India, presently near Satara in the Indian state of Maharashtra, as the second son of Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, [7] the ruler of the state. [3] After schooling at local institutions, he graduated (BA) from the University of Mumbai and studied philosophy, politics and economics at Brasenose College, Oxford. [4] [8] He continued his studies in London and passed Barrister at Law from Lincoln's Inn and returned to India in 1937 when the Indian freedom movement was gathering pace. [3]
Pant married Nalini Devi, [9] a medical doctor and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1942 and the couple had three children, Aditi, Aniket and Avalokita. [4] He died, aged 80, on 5 October 1992, [6] succumbing to old age illnesses. [3]
Pant started his political and diplomatic career as the Minister of Education of the Aundh State in 1944 when his father was the ruler of the state. [4] His tenure lasted one year and during this period and thereafter, he was involved in the discussions related to the integration of the state into Indian Union. [3] After India's independence, he entered Indian Foreign Service, got deputed to Africa and worked in Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and the Belgian colony of the Congo. [4] In 1954, he was appointed as the Officer on Special duty with the Minister of External Affairs when India's relationship with China was strained. [4] He represented India at Bandung Conference in 1956 for the formation of Non-Aligned Movement. He also worked as the Officer in Charge of the missions of Tibet and Bhutan and Sikkim, [10] and as Ambassador to Indonesia (1961–64), Norway (1964–66), Egypt (1966–69), [11] United Kingdom (1969–72) and Italy (1972–75). [3] [6]
Apasaheb Pant was a former judge for the Templeton Prize, [12] an international recognition honouring the entrepreneurship of spirit, [13] He published [4] eight books towards the latter part of his life. [3]
In 1954, he was awarded with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society, placing him among the first recipients of the award.
Sun Salutation, also called Surya Namaskar(a) or Salute to the Sun (Sanskrit: सूर्यनमस्कार, romanized: Sūryanamaskāra), is a practice in yoga as exercise incorporating a flow sequence of some twelve gracefully linked asanas. The asana sequence was first recorded as yoga in the early 20th century, though similar exercises were in use in India before that, for example among wrestlers. The basic sequence involves moving from a standing position into Downward and Upward Dog poses and then back to the standing position, but many variations are possible. The set of 12 asanas is dedicated to the Hindu solar deity, Surya. In some Indian traditions, the positions are each associated with a different mantra.
Downward Dog Pose or Downward-facing Dog Pose, also called Adho Mukha Shvanasana, is an inversion asana, often practised as part of a flowing sequence of poses, especially Surya Namaskar, the Salute to the Sun. The asana is commonly used in modern yoga as exercise. The asana does not have formally named variations, but several playful variants are used to assist beginning practitioners to become comfortable in the pose.
The town of Aundh is situated 26 mi. S.E. of Satara. Population about 3500, home of the Aundh State, a princely state (1699–1947). It is now part of Satara District in Maharashtra State.
The Yamai Devi Temple is situated in a hill complex in the town of Aundh, Satara district, Maharashtra, India.
Maurice Frydman, aka Swami Bharatananda, was an engineer and humanitarian who spent the later part of his life in India. He lived at the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi and took an active part in India's fight for independence—notably in helping to draft a new constitution for the State of Aundh that became the Aundh Experiment. He was a Polish Jew who subsequently converted to Hinduism.
Pant or Panta is a last name, commonly found in Nepal and in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. It is a traditional surname used by Brahmins, a priestly community. Foremostly involved in the activities of the state, they were generally found involved in activities such as academics, religion, management, politics and warfare.
Kinhai is a village located in Koregaon Taluka, Satara District in Maharashtra, India. The village is divided into Pantanchi Kinhai on the western side and Peth Kinhai to the east. It is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Koregaon, at 2,320 ft (710 m) above sea level. As of the 2011 Indian census, Kinhai had a population of 3,360.
The Aundh Experiment was an early test of village-level self-government in British India which began in 1938 in Aundh State in present-day Maharashtra. Mohandas Gandhi, and Maurice Frydman helped to draft the November Declaration, which handed over rule of Aundh State from the Raja to the residents, and became law in the Swaraj Constitution of Aundh in 1939. The Aundh Experiment was an unusual idea in pre-independence India, where the rulers of princely states were loath to hand over their power.
Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni (1660–1718), popularly known as Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi, was a Minister (Pradhan) and Count (Sardar) of the Maratha Empire. He served as Pratinidhi during Rajaram I and Tarabai’s reign. His contribution to the War of 27 years is considered to be of vital importance. He was also the founder of the princely states of Vishalgad and Aundh in Maharashtra.
Pant Pratinidhi family is a prominent aristocratic noble family of India, who served as Pratinidhis to Chhatrapatis of Maratha Empire and later became rulers of the Princely states of Aundh and Vishalgad.
Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, popularly known as Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi or Bhawanrao Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi, was the ruler of the princely state of Aundh of British Raj during the reign.
Aundh State was a Maratha princely state in the British Raj, in the Deccan States Agency division of the Bombay Presidency.
Shripad Damodar Satwalekar was a polymath with interests in painting, social health, Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedic literature. He was also the founder of the Swadhyay Mandal - A Vedic Research Institute.
Ashtanga Namaskara, Ashtanga Dandavat Pranam, Eight Limbed pose, Caterpillar pose, or Chest, Knees and Chin pose is a asana sometimes used in the Surya Namaskar sequence in modern yoga as exercise, where the body is balanced on eight points of contact with the floor: feet, knees, chest, chin and hands.
The Pratinidhi was an important member of the ministry in the Maratha Empire. The title of Pratinidhi means the representative of the King, and such officials were entitled to sign and seal papers and to issue orders in the absence of the Ruler. Shivaji's ministry of the eight - the Ashta Pradhan did not include a Pratinidhi. Later the post of Pant Pratinidhi was created during the Rajaram I reign and a person holding this office exercised powers over all ministers of the Maratha court including the Peshwas. Above the Ashta pradhan Rajaram I appointed Pralhad Niraji to the high post of Prathinidhi. The office of Pratinidhi was created and the office of Peshwa was made next to it in hierarchy. The first occupant of the position under Rajaram was Pralhad Niraji, who was appointed in 1689.
Shriniwasrao Parshuram, popularly known as Shripatrao Pratinidhi or Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi, was a General of the Maratha Empire. He served as Pratinidhi during Shahu I's reign. After the death of his father Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi in 1718, Shripat Rao won the favour of Shahu by his brilliant efforts as a soldier fighting many battles in the defence of the Maratha Empire. In 1718, he was appointed as the Pant Pratinidhi of Maratha Empire.
Krishnarao Pant Pratinidhi was a 17th-century Maratha general and Pratinidhi of Tarabai in Kolhapur, India. Born in a Deshastha Brahmin family, in 1713 Shahu I awarded the Vishalgad jagir to Parashuram Trimbak. Parashuram Trimbak sent his son Krishna to assume the management of fort and the jagir, but he no sooner obtained possession than he revolted tendered his services to Sambhaji II. He was appointed as Pratinidhi by Raja of Kolhapur Sambhaji II. Soon after the revolt Krishnaji established Vishalgad jagir in 1716. Krishnarao Pant Pratinidhi was the first Chief of Vishalgad.
The Path of Modern Yoga: The History of an Embodied Spiritual Practice is a 2016 history of the modern practice of postural yoga by the yoga scholar Elliott Goldberg. It focuses in detail on eleven pioneering figures of the transformation of yoga in the 20th century, including Yogendra, Kuvalayananda, Pant Pratinidhi, Krishnamacharya, B. K. S. Iyengar and Indra Devi.
The standing asanas are the yoga poses or asanas with one or both feet on the ground, and the body more or less upright. They are among the most distinctive features of modern yoga as exercise. Until the 20th century there were very few of these, the best example being Vrikshasana, Tree Pose. From the time of Krishnamacharya in Mysore, many standing poses have been created. Two major sources of these asanas have been identified: the exercise sequence Surya Namaskar ; and the gymnastics widely practised in India at the time, based on the prevailing physical culture.